


falling down.

by nervedamaged



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Blood, F/F, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Little bit of Fluff, Love, Memories, Nicole's hurt, Oneshot, Repressed Memories, Scarred, Trauma, Waverly's hurt, helping eachother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 21:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13279941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nervedamaged/pseuds/nervedamaged
Summary: Waverly and Nicole remember a incident that happened one night at Shorty's that left them both mentally and physically scarred.





	falling down.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AllMyTomorrows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllMyTomorrows/gifts).



> Just a little something I wrote last night on my phone and polished up this evening to get me back into the swing of things for my chapter updates coming very soon ^.^  
> It flickers in and out of memories and doesn't make it known whether or not it's a memory at the end or if it's reality, sorry. It's confusing.  
> Christmas has been incredibly busy and stressful so I can only apologise for not updating sooner! @_@

> _falling down._

 

The fluorescent box light flickered above them as Waverly’s hand curled around Nicole’s, gently she stroked the tight skin across her bruised knuckles and slowly bought her hand to her lips caressing it in a kiss, she smiled softly when the redhead’s eyes drifted up to her own and her other hand sifted through her auburn hair cupping her cheek on the way down, thumb lightly brushing the angry looking wound that had yet to scar just to the side of Nicole’s left eye, bloodshot from the trauma, the one that Champ and his goons had made when they pressed that hunting knife flush against her face a couple of nights ago when Waverly was clearing tables at Shorty’s and Nicole had been watching at the other end of the bar, a small smile pulling back on the edge of her mouth. When a ‘drunk off his face’ Champ was fixated with the fact that Waverly was ‘his’ regardless of whether or not she wanted to be. Her eyes shifted to the jarring black stitches bold against Nicole’s pale skin, Waverly’s forehead creased with worry as she remembered what happened in agonising detail, emotion building in her chest and tears prickling in her eyes, threatening to fall as she swallowed thickly drawing a shaky breath deep into her lungs before letting it back out forcefully.    
  
“Hey..” Nicole’s voice was a soft whisper but laced with love and understanding, her own hand covering Waverly’s as she too stroked her girlfriend’s skin; “I’m okay” she felt like she’d said it a thousand times, at least a few hundred the night that it happened, only Waverly hadn’t been the one on the receiving end of her words, so she would keep saying it if it meant that Waverly would forgive herself for something that was never her fault to begin with. Nicole wished Waverly would repeat her words and affirm that she too was alright after what happened but she knew deep down Waverly was still hurting both physically and mentally.

Nicole’s fingers stroked the dip of Waverly’s collarbone, “It’s just a battle scar, baby, I’m alright..” but Waverly’s head dropped, refusing to meet Nicole’s eye as thick, fat tears spilled out over her thinly veiled resolve and an unwanted sob erupted into the silence around them. It broke her, Nicole’s heart hurt for her love, the blame she herself held so close to her own heart for what happened that night was nothing close to the blame that Waverly forced herself to feel every damn day. The things Champ had said, the things Waverly had done just to make Champ stop, just so the knife would be pulled away from her face dripping life, leaving behind a deep red angry wound that made her red hair look brown by comparison. Champ had said he’d take her eyes so that she couldn’t look at Waverly ‘that’ way, said he’d cut them out for Waverly right there to prove just how much ‘he loved her’. Waverly had fought the scream inside her for as long as she could before breaking. But she had not broken the way Champ had been expecting.    
  
“Sweetheart, Waverly... look at me..”    
  
“Please..”   
  
Nicole’s fingers brushed against Waverly’s chin, lifting slowly, asking permission silently as Waverly allowed Nicole to raise her face into the light, red and swollen eyes greeted her, thick salty wet trails highlighted her cheeks that were flushed pink under Nicole’s touch as she brushed the newly forming tears away and slowly pulled Waverly into a deep loving hug, “I’ve got you baby, I’ve got you..” one hand cradling her head as the smaller girl crumpled into her sobbing, hands clutching at Nicole’s shirt, pulling her impossibly closer. Her other hand gently caressed the small of her back being careful not to press too hard, moving in slow small circles before coming to rest softly, lighter than the touch before it, on her hip bone and it’s extra padding, frowning a bit as she felt warm sticky wetness beneath her fingertips.

A silent statue, Nicole stood, still as stone as she held her there, not a single sound besides the gentle ‘shushhh’s’ and murmurs that only Waverly would be able to make out, gentle caresses from her fingertips, careful not to hurt the girl curled into her arms. When Waverly’s sobbing became merely a sniffle and she’d let go of her death grip on Nicole’s body, curling herself into the older girl more, she let her fingers find Nicole’s, her knees weaker, not as strong as she had been that night. Now not faced with the possibility of losing Nicole, Waverly could fold into herself and have just a moment of weakness; she had tried to be strong all this time for everyone; but her strength waned when she allowed the nurse to wheel her into Nicole’s room, when she clasped her hand and brought her hand up to her lips and kissed it so hard she wished she could will her awake with just her love.   
  
Champ had pulled the knife away, only inches, when Waverly had screamed at the top of her lungs and lunged at him; her arms flailing all over the place as Nicole had watched in horror; Champ’s immediate reaction was to bring his hand up to defend himself, his hand that held the knife and in a sickening slow motion Nicole had watched her girlfriend’s ex boyfriend drive the knife into her side with a nauseous thud all the way to the hilt. The way Waverly stopped short and fallen and slow motion was so cruel when all Nicole saw was Waverly drowning in a sea of red on the hardwood floor; her own wound forgotten when her numb fingers had grabbed for her gun in its holster and fired unblinking, the gun and knife hitting the floor at the same time, bouncing once and stilling.    
  
Nicole’s heart thudded violently at the memory, suddenly feeling sick as bile rushed to the back of her tongue before she swallowed roughly almost gagging on the bitterness, her gaze fixed on the shell of Waverly’s small figure in front of her; she brushed her hand against Waverly’s hipbone and softly added; “baby, I need to change this for you, it’s bled through.” Waverly’s breath caught for a minute before she nodded and pulled away from Nicole’s warm embrace, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand before undoing the buttons on her shirt with shaky hands, eventually Nicole had to help with the rest of them whilst Waverly slowly rested her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder for support.    
  
The air was stale and try as she may Waverly wasn’t sure there was enough air for her desperate lungs. Everything burned and blurred into the chaos around her, her side felt like it was on fire when she finally touched the throbbing radiating pain, and when she pressed her fingers deeper to lessen it they came away drenched and thick rivulets of blood dripped from her fingers onto her face as she held up her hands to examine them. “Fuck..” she had gasped, slowly losing the sensation to her lower half as she tried to remember what had happened. And then she was there, a frenzy of red locks floating down on her face, soft against her skin; holding her, pulling her crumpled form from the Red Sea and cradling her in her arms. Waverly had reached up with blood soaked hands and lightly touched Nicole’s bleeding cheek; “Your.. face..” she grimaced a half sob escaping her lips; “I’m sorry.. I couldn’t let him.. Hurt you....” Waverly’s fingers slipped down to stroke Nicole’s chin, eyes fixed on her deep brown ones; “I couldn’t, because I lov.. love you...” it was breathless, pained as Nicole called for help, for anybody, anyone to help them, she screamed as her own thick tears joined Waverly’s on her face before mixing with their blood as it pooled around them. Waverly’s white shirt now deep crimson like blood in the snow and Nicole’s hand pressed firmly against the younger girls’ wound; feeling the blood pumping out of her in vain, she was certain the knife had nicked a vital organ. Nicole had screamed till she was hoarse, till her throat burned and she’d used up all the air her lungs had to give, till the cavalry broke the door down and she’d lost Waverly’s goodbyes in the sounds of the sirens and Wynonna’s rough hands on her shoulders pulling her back, pulling her from the feeling of her fingers brushing Waverly’s, till her hand clasped in Waverly’s was only her fingertips... then nothing. Till she realised she could no longer see in her left eye, just blackness deep and throbbing, burning light pin pricking her right eye and time stopped ticking over.

Time.

Stopped.

Till it started to tick again above her head, time passed waiting for her, and waking slowly, sluggishly to bright lights blinding her, she felt her body being roughly pulled back to a reality she was so very sure she would wake up to alone (without Waverly), the tightness in her throat ached within her struggle to contain her emotions. She blinked against the blur of her left eye, very aware she could see out of it, but not brave enough to want to know the state it was in along with the rest of her face. Smell evaded her and so did sound, all but her vision and the feeling a soft hand curling around her own, gently stroking the tight skin across her knuckles. Nicole’s gaze fell to the small brunette resting her chin against the blue blanket on her bed, the sigh of relief and fear, swiftly followed by love and every emotion she’d held back since that night when time stood still for her. Face crumpling, bottom lip trembling, Nicole cried. Gripped tightly onto Waverly’s hand and cried.

“Hey, hey… it’s okay...” Waverly’s voice was just a whisper but her hands pressed against Nicole’s forearm with a need that they both recognised “It’s okay, I’m okay..” her affirmation was long awaited, welcomed and as Nicole nodded requiring further affirmation, Waverly reached up caressing her face before pressing her lips flush to Nicole’s kissing her like they were liars trying to prove their innocence.

Nicole guided Waverly to sit down, her fingers deftly removing the bloodied dressing from her girlfriend’s side, lightly brushing Waverly’s own fingers as she held the skin taught at the crease of her hip bone, Waverly hissed when the cotton caught on a stitch and Nicole winced, “Sorry! I’m sorry..!” worry creasing her forehead as Waverly settled her concerns almost immediately; “It’s okay.. I’m okay..” she whispered as Nicole’s fixed a clean dressing gently over her stitches, smoothing the tape into place before pulling Waverly’s shirt down to protect the wound further, she let her hands linger a while, fingertips caressing Waverly’s before she cupped Waverly’s cheek, lips grazing, kissing, loving, pulling away only to whisper “Good, because I love you..” before resuming her position pressed deep into Waverly’s personal space, the smaller girl’s hands pulling at Nicole’s shirt, bringing her closer still.

 

\- fin -


End file.
